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Nigella Lawson said she had "a layer of skin removed" by the publicity. Credit: Open Mike Productions/PA Wire

Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson wiped away tears as she told Michael McIntyre she was "feeling better" after the collapse of her marriage and appearance as a witness atcourt.

The 54-year-old’s private life became public knowledge when pictures emerged, during the trial of two of her staff, of her ex-husband Charles Saatchi holding her by the throat.

When asked how she was feeling on the comic’s new chat show, Lawson said: "Well, you know, I've had better times. You know it's spring and I'm feeling better and I'm very happy to be here."

The interview with the celebrity chef will air on BBC1 on Monday night.

The star said her recent struggles had made her more sympathetic to other people's problems, saying: "We all gossip but I don't take a particular lofty view, perhaps having a layer of skin removed I'm also more aware of other people's misfortunes.”

"If the major thing in your life is what people who don't know you think then you are living your life wrong," the TV chef and food writer added.

The Grillo sisters have said that they do not feel guilty that celebrity chef Nigella Lawson had to reveal in court that she had taken cocaine.

Elisabetta Grillo, who prefers to be referred to as Lisa, said: "I feel sorry that we ended up in that situation, that she had to admit that, but no, not guilty because her life [has nothing] to do with me."

Fransesca Grillo added: "We were in court, not to do with her drug use, [or] because we wanted her to be punished in any kind of way. And in her admitting - I think she was very brave to do so. But I didn't feel guilty."

Nigella Lawson's former personal assistants have said they may have won their legal battle but the celebrity chef has won the hearts of the British public.

Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo spoke to ITV This Morning following their acquittal last month on charges of fraudulently using company credit cards, spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on designer goods for themselves.

Francesca Grillo. Credit: ITV News.

"We have won the court case but definitely she had the most support from the public. She is well loved and she will always be loved and I am sure she will be fine," Francesca Grillo, 35, told the programme.

"She is great at what she is doing and I wish her all the best."

They worked as personal assistants to Lawson and her ex-husband Charles Saatchi.

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The former personal assistants of Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi have said they do not feel guilty the TV chef had to admit her drug use in public at their trial.

In their first television interview after being cleared of defrauding the former couple, Lisa Grillo told ITV's This Morning: "I feel sorry that we ended up in that situation, that she did admit to that. But no, not guilty, because it was nothing to do with me, it's her life."

Her sister Francesca added: "It was our freedom. We were in court not because of her drug use or because we wanted her to be punished. In admitting it I think she was very brave to do so, good for her for doing so. But I didn't feel guilty."

Francesca spoke of the potential impact of the trial on Nigella. She said: "I think maybe we won the case but definitely she had the most support from the public.

"She is well loved and she will always be loved. I'm sure she will be fine. She's great at what she's doing and I wish her all the best."

Celebrity cook Nigella Lawson said she was determined not to dwell on her ordeal as a witness in the trial of her two former assistants. Speaking on Good Morning America, she said:

It is one of the niceties of the English legal system that you are not allowed counsel if you are a witness, but you know maybe that will change, maybe that is good.

To have your not only your private life, but distortions of your private life on display is mortifying, but you know, there are people going through an awful lot worse, and to dwell on any of it would be self-pity and I don't like to do that.

She told US show Good Morning America that she found her experience of being a witness at the trial of her former assistants "mortifying" and reiterated her frustration that she was not allowed counsel as a witness.

The TV cook said she couldn't really remember her time on the witness stand.

"My only desire was really to protect my children as much as possible which at times, alas, I couldn't do. But, since then you know, I have eaten a lot of chocolate, I had a lovely Christmas and had a lovely new year."